Eucalyptus - Moves

Label: Telephone Explosion Records, 2022

Personnel - Brodie West: alto saxophone, clarinet; Nicole Rampersaud: trumpet; Kurt Newman: guitar; Ryan Driver: clavinet; Michael Smith: bass; Blake Howard: percussion; Nick Fraser: drums; Evan Cartwright: drums.

The Toronto-based octet Eucalyptus is spearheaded by the underappreciated saxophonist and composer Brodie West. Granted with an early mentorship by the late avant-garde pianist Misha Mengelberg, West also played with the latter’s longtime musical partner, the Dutch drummer Han Bennink. His latest release, Moves, is Eucalyptus’ sixth full-length album, which shows his fondness for cannily structured cuts with loopy foundations sustaining clever layers atop them.

“Infinity Bananas” offers a hypnotic pulsing-pedal bass drive, clacking percussive constancy, saxophone uneasiness with quick motifs, and terse staccato trumpet phrases with occasionally long airy sounds. Then, “Cuckoo Birds” revolves around a motivic idea that throbs and shifts chromatically. At the bottom, a psychedelic droning experience goes on through the conspicuous cool-sounding clavinet. Different from those two numbers, “Dust in the Wind” brings more harmony and melody to the fore, immersing us in an asymmetrically ambient jazz cloud that is very atmospheric.

The band doesn’t lodge inside the perimeters defined by the jazz idioms, and “It’s in a Move” moves breezily and exotically with a bolero feel. There’s a playful ring-toned synth accompanying the process and solos by West - who flies higher on the marching, psychedelic avant-garde swagger “Snapdragon Hop” - and guitarist Kurt Newman, who articulates phrases with shimmering color in his first appearance on record with this combo. The more sensitive side of the group comes into view in the closer, “Lookie”, a circular ballad with emotional warmth that never really reaches a climax.

“Rose Manor” pivots the beat to downtempo, prompting us to better experience the deep nine-beat cycle bass figure laid down by Michael Smith, as well as the particularly lovely airy sounds and soaring lines of trumpeter Nicole Rampersaud. With aesthetically clean arrangements, Eucalyptus creates a sonority that feels more mood than substance. But bear in mind: this recording is nonetheless pleasant enough in its own way.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Dust in the Wind ► 04 - It’s in a Move ► 06 - Snapdragon Hop

Billy Mohler - Anatomy

Label: Contagious Music, 2022

Personnel - Chris Speed: tenor saxophone; Shane Endsley: trumpet; Billy Mohler: bass; Nate Wood: drums.

Bassist Billy Mohler boasts a deep, rich sound that perfectly suits the styles he explores. His pieces are rock-oriented, shaped with alluring grooves and provided with ample room for jazz-inspired improvisation. The gripping, luxurious quartet he brings with him - saxophonist Chris Speed, trumpeter Shane Endsley, and drummer Nate Wood - denote an excellent musicianship, sharing the same taste for a hybrid combination that feels flexible and free.

Anatomy begins with “Abstract 1”, the first of three unaccompanied bass-centered vignettes, which foreshadows what emerges over the course of the album. This is followed by “Fight Song”, a hooky and immediate cut about the different kinds of conflict that surround us. Musically, you won't find conflict at all but rather a striking consistency between the stupendously grooving bass, the energetic rock drumming, and horn lines that navigate the robust rhythm with avant-jazz energy.

“Nightfall” glows and dances with passionate admiration for the city of New York, having Mohler delineating the passages he wrote with a strong sense of harmony. Meanwhile, the men in the frontline establish a nice and warm communication. Endsley shows how extrovert he is in his soloing duties. One can detect a pretty similar routine on “Perseverance”, whose unchanging rhythm envelops us like a dense fog. Yet, Speed follows Endsley here, in an improvisation full of timbral sophistication. They both dance around each other while connecting through engaging counter melodies.

The groove-laden “Equals” begins with sax and trumpet in tandem, and bass and drums in the pocket. After the head, it morphs into a Morphine-sounding mix of punk sweetness and energy that makes us move our feet. Mohler wrote “Speed Kills” for the saxophonist in this album, who responds with a hook-nosed statement that brims with inside/outside prowess. 

Mohler brings the record to a conclusion with “Moonglow”, which echoes a late-night lounge feel with a steady pulsation and calm composure. Just like all the other cuts on this album, this is an original by the bassist, despite sharing the same title as the 32-bar jazz standard made popular by Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Art Tatum.

Anatomy consists of an utterly satisfying set of tunes that, being straightforward in the flow and impeccable in the sound, stands tall in its own.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Fight Song ► 03 - Nightfall ► 04 - Equals

Day & Taxi - Run, the Darkness Will Come!

Label: Percaso Production, 2022

Personnel - Christoph Gallio: alto, soprano and C-melody saxophones; Silvan Jeger: acoustic and electric bass, voice, shruti box; Gerry Hemingway: drums, percussion.

Zurich-born saxophonist Christoph Gallio reunited his Day & Taxi trio for another set of avant-garde jazz numbers that perfectly balance composition and improvisation. Interspersed with brief declamations of poetry, these pieces pay tribute to several personalities from different artistic fields as it happened with the previous outings. 

The highly malleable rhythm section of Swiss bassist Silvan Jeger and American drummer Gerry Hemingway provide the form and the structure, being pretty much in evidence on the opening piece, “Run, the Darkness Will Come!”. The drummer brushes skins and cymbals with clarity and refinement, while the bassist locks in a struttin’ bass groove that persists. On top of that, Gallio blows with soulful openness. His cries, clashes, and conflicts may cause unsettlement but don't make the atmosphere sinister as the title suggests. 

The following track, “Casual Song”, couldn't get a better title, as a consequence of a loosely developed bass intro and soprano excursions with no concern for where the music goes. If this one is dedicated to American producer, label owner, and percussionist Kip Hanrahan, then “Godard’s Memory” salutes the French cineaste in the title with an expressive painting made of side-stepping sax forays filled with timbral certainty (the energy is comparable to David Murray’s), elastic and dancing basslines, and percolating percussion that pumps up the freedom of things.

Both “R.F.”, which celebrates French artist Robert Filliou, and “Corinne”, a nod to German painter/drawer Corinne Gudemann, are accented with a Steve Lacy-kind of expressionism. “Ego Killer”, on the contrary, feels relentlessly spirited in its combination of post-rock and avant-jazz, serving as a vehicle for Jeger’s bowing and plucking techniques.

“Too Much Nothing” is sandwiched between the agreeable voice of the late downtown poet Steve Dalachinsky, a very missed figure on the New York's free jazz scene. This cut is laced with an Eastern tinge that arises from the shruti box’s drone and the percolating groove alike. “Abra Palavra”, for the Austrian artist Dominik Steiger, is propelled in a forward-marching style, while riffing its way into an ecstatic avant-garde swirl.

Gallio has a massive presence and the heart of a storyteller. His music brings an adventurism that is never aimless, and the improvised moments are invariably captivating.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Run, the Darkness Will Come! ► 05 - Ego Killer ► 08 - Too Much Nothing

Alvaro Torres - Heart is the Most Important Ingredient

Label: Sunnyside Records, 2022

Personnel - Alvaro Torres: piano; Joel Illerhag: bass; Kresten Osgood: drums.

I must say I expected much more from this improvising trio led by the Spanish pianist and composer Álvaro Torres, who works with a serious pair of Scandinavian foundation builders, the Swedish bassist Joel Illerhag (inventor of the Swedish bass-harp) and the Danish drummer Kresten Osgood (Sam Rivers, John Tchicai, Michael Blake). Despite some interesting moments and the potential revealed, the ten expeditions presented here don’t take us to a place of distinction.

It all starts with a tribute to Osgood titled “Krescendo”, where the trio dabbles in nuanced conversational dynamics, foreshadowing the path they intend to take. Here, the calm remarks delivered by the pianist and the understated guidance of the bassist are opposed to the conspicuous hi-hat scintillation of the drummer. “Most” and “Taken” reflect almost a silent energy in a sort of exercise in stillness. The former develops in restraint; the latter features predominant arco bass movements punctuated by pizzicato rootness.

“Departure” reveals some ruminative uncertainty, gaining tract as it advances, whether through push-pull rhythms or melodic figures. This one shows efficiency in the proceedings, but not as much as tunes like “The Good Life”, whose melodic fragmentation and rhythmic steadfastness recall Geri Allen, and “Dreams in Music”, a profound and enigmatic solo piano reverie that feels straighter than strange. And then, there’s “Ingredient”, which has Carla Bley’s imprints scurrying and scrambling. On occasion, fluidity imposes; other times it feels choppy and concentrated.

I tried to feel the ‘heart’ but was mostly unable to relate to Torres new trio at an emotional level.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Krescendo ►03 - The Good Life ► 10 - Dreams in Music

Spiral Trio - Broken Blue

Label: Odradek Records, 2022

Personnel - Spyros Manesis: piano; Arionas Gyftakis: bass; Anastasis Gouliaris; drums.

Hailing from Greece, the Spiral Trio consists of pianist Spyros Manesis, bassist Arionas Gyftakis, and drummer Anastasis Gouliaris, and their focus spans from calm jazzy ambiences to fearlessly rhythmically incursions. Their eponymously titled first album was composed mostly of renditions of jazz standards, but for this sophomore effort, Broken Blue, all three members contribute compositions, whose execution puts up with written and improvised sections. A step forward in the definition of their identity as a trio.

Manesis’ “Rubicon” makes a beautiful entry, providing an ear-catching experience that takes us to the subtlety and lyricism of Bill Evans. It’s a brushed 4/4 ballad expressed with a light touch and heartfelt melody. More Keith Jarrett than Evans, the Gouliaris-penned “Hig” hides the tempo behind clever rhythmic detail. The piano hooks are temporarily dropped for Gyftakis’ ponderous solo infused by a few hammer-ons and slides.

The edgy title track signals tangled bop linings and bluesy insinuations, often becoming fractal before a fleet swinging motion welcomes intense solos from the threesome. The bounce of “Bipolar", whose harmony was based on Miles Davis’ “Solar”, is imbued with joy, effortlessly crossing modern routes and traditional avenues. Including a silvery bass solo and exchanges with the drummer, this one feels like a breathe of fresh air after Michel Legrand’s “Once Upon a Summertime”, a slow waltz that stretches for longer than necessary.

Some tunes are more memorable than others, and the trio opts not to charge toward the end, embracing a more restraint posture. However, before that, Gyftakis’ “Ding Dong” finds ways to keep our ears alert through a complex theme lit with excitement, mystery and resolve. It’s a daring exercise in open form, whose flow is pretty catchy. 

Despite the quibbles I’ve mentioned above, the trio is on the right track. It’s a totally listenable album that is ready to give way more visibility to the trio.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Rubicon ► 03 - Broken Blue ► 06 - Ding Dong

Tigran Hamasyan - StandArt

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2022

Personnel - Tigran Hamasyan: piano; Matt Brewer: bass, Justin Brown: drums; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone (#3); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (#4); Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet (#7,8).

The resourceful Armenian-American pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan commands a recently formed trio featuring bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Justin Brown. The new album trades in intricate, state-of-the-art originals for acoustic renditions of jazz standards. To spice things up, he invites prominent horn players to join him in a selection of tunes delivered whether in duo or quartet format.

The flavors are fabulously diverse, and the album, aptly titled StandArt, starts off with “De-Dah”, a sympathetic hard-bop number composed by pianist Elmo Hope and made famous by the brilliant trumpeter Clifford Brown in the ‘50s. The  odd-metered trio version we find here denotes an incredible rhythmic control and improvisatory stamina. The chilled-out take on “I Didn’t Know What Time it Was” is also delivered in trio, but Hamasyan lends a more vibrant rock muscularity packed with submerged hooks on “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise”. His improvisations are constructed around the mood of the tunes, but on “Laura”, he defies this idea by turning David Raskin’s ballad into pure rhythmic ecstasy.

The contemplative, dreamy ambience of the re-harmonized “All the Things You Are”, a duet with Mark Turner, is fully embraced by the saxophonist, whereas Joshua Redman projects his supple tenor lines over the swinging excitement of Charlie Parker’s “Big Foot”. Here, Hamasyan shows how refined his jazz idioms can be. 

The extraordinary trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire steals our attention in two pieces: “I Should Care”, an intimate duet with the pianist in which their wistful sounds overlap, blend and spill into each other; and “Invasion During an Operetta”, a quartet improv bathed in abstraction.

With jazz tradition as its point of departure, this is a different Hamasyan recording. It’s definitely not a tour de force like the previous The Call Within (2020), but is still demonstrative of the boldness so intrinsically linked to this pianist’s work.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - De-Dah ► 04 - Big Foot ► 07 - I Should Care

Nduduzo Makhathini - In the Spirit of Ntu

Label: Blue Note Records, 2022

Personnel - Nduduzo Makhathini: piano; Linda Sikhakhane: saxophone; Robin Fassie Kock: trumpet; Dylan Tabisher: vibraphone; Stephen de Souza: bass; Gontse Makhene: percussion; Dane Paris: drums. 
Guests - Omagugu: vocals (#2); Anna Widauer: vocals (#6); Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone (#5).

There’s an abundance of fascinating material in Nduduzo Makhathini’s new recording, In the Spirit of Ntu. The distinguished South African pianist and composer has been releasing excellent albums, touting a blend of mature post-bop and deeply rooted African jazz currents that transfixes as much as marvels. For his 10th album as a leader, he draws inspiration in Ntu, an ancient African philosophy centered on collectiveness, and gathers a killing group to back him on another rewarding spiritual journey.

Makhathini infuses an impetuous and majestic Afro-centric pulse on the opener, “Unonkanyamba”. The laid-back posture of the horn players against this rhythmic verve creates an infectious polyrhythmic feel. Gliding atop the texture, the soloists succeed one another. The confident tenorist Linda Sikhakhane is followed by Makhatini, whose taste in the note choices is both disconcerting and beautiful, and then by trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock, who invites us to search while posing as narratively sober. “Amathongo” is motivated by Zulu traditions, a component that is not so strange if we take into consideration that the bandleader’s hometown was a Zulu kingdom. The bass figure that drives the piece is renewed at every 16-beat cycle, having a shimmering stream of percussion echoing throughout.

Guest vocalists Omagugu (Nduduzo’s wife) and Anna Widauer shine on “Mama” and “Re-Amathambo”, respectively. The former tune is a resplendent intersection of cool modal jazz and African spiritual balladry delivered with a three time flow; while the latter, a rework of a tune originally included on his 2018 album Ikhambi, is sung in English by the abovementioned Austrian singer and revolves around a twinkling modal vamp and chanting riffery.

Powerful choir-like chants and darkly hued tenor sounds populate “Senze Nina”, a prayerful ballad in five that is intended as a meditation on the renewal of a South Africa marked by the violence of apartheid and gender-related hostility. Also painted with darker shades, “Nyonini Le” nods to Zulu princess Magogo kaDinuzulu and Monk’s music alike, whereas “Emlilweni”, a modal effort in six, guests American saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, whose fluid post-bop idiom with plenty of outside contractions dominates the spotlight.

Makhathini marvels, daubing his music in color and rhythm, liveliness and poignancy, spirituality and emotion. In the Spirit of Ntu is not to be missed.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Mama ► 05 - Emlilweni ► 09 - Senze Nina

Steve Davis - Bluesthetic

Label: Smoke Sessions Records, 2022

Personnel - Steve Davis: trombone; Peter Bernstein: guitar; Steve nelson: vibraphone; Jeoffrey Keezer: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Willie Jones III: drums.

American trombonist and composer Steve Davis is usually seen at the helm of proficient sextets whose blue-chip players confer a relevant dimension to his compositions. His fourth consecutive outing on the Smoke Sessions imprint is called Bluesthetic, an honest title that alludes to the harmonic progressions and foundational structures of the straight-ahead journeys he proposes. For this record, he decided to be the sole horn player, extending the harmonic possibilities by teaming up with monster jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein and vibraphonist Steve Nelson (both were in his 1998 album Vibe Up!), as well as the pianist Jeffrey Keezer. The bottom of the net is secured by the stupendous Christian McBride on bass and the efficient Willie Jones III on drums.

The opening number, “Encouragement”, is a churning Art Blakey-esque hard-bop piece with enough magnetism to draw you in. The players thrive by being on the same page, wisely opting for shorter solos here, which include everyone except the drummer. At places, however, especially during the second half, things get a little long in the tooth, improvisation-wise. Yet, the first portion brings a nimble strain of hard-bop-influenced and post-bop tunes that revives that immense joy we find in the jazz tradition.

“Silver at Sundown” is a tribute to pianist Horace Silver, being laid down with that jaunty feel and bohemian air that also characterizes Lee Morgan’s Sidewinder and Herbie Hancock’s Empyrean Isles. The soloists take their turns: Bernstein and Davis demonstrating clarity in the ideas; Nelson being highly articulated while navigating the chords he defines so well; and Keezer making things go inventively rhythmic. These four soloists also stretch on “Maybe So”, where McBride and Jones III join them by claiming their soloing spots. The drummer’s brushing technique is particularly attractive on the smooth jazz waltz “Faraway Dream”, which conjures up the modal atmospheres of Bobby Hutcherson, and the Ellingtonian ballad “Indigo to Azure”.

Both “Bedford Stroll”, inspired by the town and street where Davis currently lives in, and “They Wore 44”, whose blistering intensity was motivated by sports, boast a typical sound and drive that recalls J.J. Johnson and Paul Chambers. The former piece, marked by a synchronous snare strut on the B section, is another vehicle for the melodicists, whereas the latter’s main attraction is the unpredictable wallops thrown in by Keezer across different registers of the keyboard. The album ends with “Star for Chick”, a tribute to the late virtuosic pianist Chick Corea with whom Davis had been recording since 1998 in his post-bop-meets-fusion sextet Origin, and later in his Spanish Heart Band.

Favorite Tracks: 
01 - Encouragement ► 02 - Silver at Sundown ► 05 - Faraway Dream

David Virelles - Nuna

Label: Pi Recordings, 2022

Personnel - David Virelles: piano, marimbula; Julio Barreto: percussion (#3,9,14)

Revealing a delightful intimacy, pianist/composer David Virelles is at his best on his first solo album, Nuna, where he weighs in on many of his influences - from classical music (Chopin, Scriabin) to Cuban rhythms (changuí) to African folklore (Skandrani, Guèbrou) - with unparalleled expression. From the 20 pieces that resulted from the solitude of the pandemic, only two go beyond the six minute mark in length.

Virelles opens the album by playing marímbula (the ‘bass’ used in changuí music) on “Spacetime”, a piece that, like many others, evokes its Cuban roots. This is followed by the solo piano narrative of “Ocho”, which borders on the surreal with a fusion of bountiful rhythmic fluxes and serene reflections. Other solo piano pieces that immediately call our attention are loaded with folk elements, such as “Al Compás de mi Viejo Tres”, whose passionate two-handed flow culminates spectacularly, “Mambo Escalonado”, and Mariano Mercerón’s “Cuando Canta el Cornetín”. These two last pieces are melodically clearer and more rhythmically familiar in their sonic delineation, but even when that’s not the case, like in the avant-garde “Simple Answer”, Virelles always finds fertile ground between straightforwardness and abstraction.

Cuban percussionist Julio Barreto, known for his work with Grammy-awarded pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba in the ‘90s, guests on three pieces, namely “Ghost Town”, in which he reinforces the propelling energy that stems from the piano with a gorgeous Afro-Cuban pulsation; “Ignacio Villa”, whose irresistible rhythmic drive and well-shaped theme statement make it memorable; and “Portico”.

Whereas “Tessellations” and “Camino Del Escultor” are energized by rhythmic figures and entrancing undulations, “Nacen” is simultaneously reflective and tense, with some dark clouds hovering above. In turn, hypnotic cluster chords support the haunting melody of “Danza de Rosario”.

Virelles handles these chanting lines as deftly as he weaves Afro-Cuban grooves, showing he’s an exceedingly well-versed musician. He shines throughout with boldness and authenticity.

Favorite Tracks:
09 - Ignacio Villa ► 11- Mambo Escalonado ► 13 - Cuando Canta el Cornetín

Jonathan Reisin - Option B

Label: Habitable Records, 2022

Personnel - Jonathan Reisin: tenor and soprano saxophone; Moshe Elmakias: piano; Nitzan Birnbaum: dums (#1,3,6,7); Brian Richburg Jr.: drums (#2,4,5,8).

Israeli saxophonist and composer Jonathan Reisin spearheads a bass-less trio that makes his improvisational propensity obvious. He reveals instinctive chemistry and peculiar intimacy with the members positioned at the base of the triangle: drummers Nitzan Birnbaum and Brian Richburg Jr., who take turns and play four pieces each, and Israeli pianist Moshe Elmakias. 

The album, his first as a leader, is bookended by group improvisations - “One” opens the set stealthily with tenor vibratos and multiphonics skimming over a minimalist accompaniment; and “Juka” closes it, with volcanic tenor magma rising above the blissful, if cryptic, sonic grid weaved by bass and drums. “Glue” is on the same wavelength as the former piece, but its angular theme is cooked under the pressurized steam of the snare drum and irregularly pounding drum kicks. Playing in the same league is “It’s Not the Same” - initially outlined by soft piano caresses and palpable soprano melodies before turning into something more rhythmically and emotionally intense. The record rises in a crescendo, making us want to discover more.

In the title track, “Option B”, the trio goes for a diffuse propagation of sounds based on a tone row. The saxophonist and the pianist explore imperturbably in sync, but soon the threesome communicates closely, working on dynamics. They loosen up in one moment and charge in the next, and the final section almost feels tender after a stormy irruption. Inspired by Ligeti’s Musica Ricercata and equally tense, “Four Boats” is built on four notes, also engulfing us in mystery. Its flow is interrupted by a minimalist piano figure that is reused at the end, following an increase in agitation.

“Roy’s Room” features the tom-tom dances and cymbal frothiness of Brian Richburg Jr., who sets a tonally interesting conversation with himself at the outset. The piece develops via sax/piano unisons and more harmonic allure, before plunging into a quiet atmosphere comprised of sensitive piano work, whispering brushes, and idle saxophone phrases. 

Reisin picks out possible sonorities that, creating intentional ambiguity and surprise, complement each other. Option B, which is dedicated to the saxophonist’s late grandfather, is a most welcome debut.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Four Boats ► 07 - It’s Not the Same ► 08 - Juka

Thomas Mitrousis Quartet - The Seed

Label: Self released, 2022

Personnel - Thomas Mitrousis: guitar; Kostas Yaxoglou: piano; Paraskevas Kitsos: double bass; Dimitris Klonis: drums.

The effortless approach to music adopted by Athens-based guitarist Thomas Mitrousis is very much in sight on his first album as a leader, The Seed, a warm quartet collaboration that blurs stylistic territories with modern instinct. 

Solely composed of originals, the album opens with the strongest one, “Crossing the Lines”, a well-delineated expedition in seven that borrows the fashionable jazz-pop-rock formulas of E.S.T. and The Bad Plus. Starting things out on the automated side, pianist Kostas Yaxoglou recycles a sharp ostinato and then improvises prior to the bandleader, whose relaxed phrasing serves as a recipient of his valid ideas. During the closing vamp, bassist Paraskevas Kitsos sings louder, while the rhythmic chops of drummer Dimitris Klonis are properly accentuated.

The teamwork between bassist and drummer translates into a magnetic groove on “Bipolar Express”, where sleek fretless slides and syncopated breakbeats are exhibited. The nice melody travels through wide-open spaces on top of this contemporary rhythmic underpinning. In turn, the squarer and harmonically compact “Chopping Therapy” presents a flair for pop/rock playfulness, but that disposition fluctuates along the way. The group ends up in an ambient trance with the bowed bass creating soaring and swooping motions. As distinguished from those, “Quinta” is a delicately brushed waltz with an airier and jazzier side.  

Delivered in five, “Fax From Fux” takes the form of a world-inspired dance, whereas “Tararirarom” employs a septuple meter, melding folk and rock genres. This idea is reinforced by Kitso’s voice, and the group sounds so loose that it inspires a Jarrett-esque piano solo punctuated with muted notes. Mitrousis and his peers leave positive indications with this first work, and the sound of the group can only get better in the future.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Crossing the Lines ► 05 - Tararirarom ► 08 - Bipolar Express

Brandon Seabrook Trio - In the Swarm

Label: Astral Spirits Records, 2022

Personnel - Brandon Seabrook: guitar, banjo; Cooper-Moore: diddley bow; Gerald Cleaver: drums, electronics.

For In the Swarm, the avant-garde guitarist, banjoist and improviser Brandon Seabrook reunited with his trio mates Cooper-Moore and Gerald Cleaver, on diddley bow (a single-stringed American instrument characteristic of the Deep South) and drums, respectively, with whom he forms an incredibly rhythmic triangle. These experimenters have already made a few marks on contemporary jazz, and here, just like in the previous Exultations (Astral Spirits, 2020), they catch your ear with creative explosions and an unflinching experimentalism stretched to the brink of psychedelic rock, electronica, and avant-garde jazz.

Most of the tracks ignite fire, granting access to new worlds of sound that are unquestionably genuine. Take the example of the title cut, which opens the record with an enthralling krautrock rhythm, edgy low-pitched vibes, and an offbeat banjo dissertation full of rhythmic intention. There’s also “Vibrancy Yourself”, a rousing post-punk number designed with chewy, danceable diddley bow grooves and distorted guitar with different tonal qualities. Cleaver is absolutely brilliant throughout, and if he stuns with the sextuple feel proposed on “Subliminal Gaucheries” (where we almost hear a blues at the bottom of the atmospheric reverberations), then he shows pulsing power and unerring precision on “Crepuscule of Cleaver”. Ushering in this patterned grid of metrical iteration, we have glitchy, stereo beams and serrated guitar noise.

“Adrenaline Charters” may seem disjointed at first, before our ears assimilate the rich pavement that holds the finger-busting work from Seabrook on banjo. “Seething Excitations” could have been a samba if it wasn’t for the hard-kicking drum set and darker tones. “Aghastitude” is shrouded in acerbic rebelliousness as it promotes a relentless motion that fits the experimental and industrial catalogue of Laibach and Einsturzende Neubauten. There’s a delirious guitar rapture here with lots of magnetism involved. In any case, the trio’s material transcends influences and generates something unique.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - In the Swarm ► 03 - Vibrancy Yourself ► 04 - Crepuscule of Cleaver

Oded Tzur - Isabela

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - Oded Tzur: tenor saxophone; Nitai Hershkovits: piano; Petros Klampanis: double bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

The Israeli-born, New York-based saxophonist Oded Tzur touts a carefully constructed musical style that comes with both elegance and a personal touch. His focused horn sound shaped with timbral grace can be heard on the five tracks of Isabela, the follow up to his ECM debut Here Be Dragons. Tzur is in command of a qualified quartet whose lineup remains unchanged since his last album, featuring Israeli pianist Nitai Hershkovits, Greek bassist Petros Klampanis and American drummer Johnathan Blake. They blend jazz and raga with a unique perspective.

The brief “Invocations” kicks off the recording with a spiritual undercurrent that feels like a big, warm hug of welcome. This makes for a fantastic Chalan-like intro, where it’s impossible to ignore the effective mallet art and kick-drum work of Blake. Yet,  “Noam” and “Love Song For the Rainy Season” are where the album really shines. Inspiringly, the former piece offers an enchanting melody over a soothing chordal sequence, immersing us in a liberating jazz-raga dance where the tenor reaches a certain hoarse splendor. At a later time, the trills and half-tone shifting roundabouts infused by Hershkovits create a bit more mystery before the group reinstates the main statement. The latter piece is the one that closes out the album, carrying a lightness and breeziness throughout a process that, besides changing meter during the motivic piano solo, also includes drum expansion and winding saxophone trajectories. 

The gracious “The Lion Turtle” dissimulates an intricate tempo while boasting a strong folk feel. It counts on a trio of ad-lib sections under the melodic control of Klampanis, Hershkovits, and Tzur. The saxophonist also brings his beautiful sense of melody to the fore on the slow-evolving title track, which, starting as a quiet whisper, is marked by interesting piano details and sensitive brushwork.

This affable jazz recording is sculpted with a detached elegance that never gets the music too heated. Hence, you can expect introspection and poised tones to override energy-filled rhythms or grooves. That said, it all sounds organically pleasurable and the saxophonist’s playing is very special indeed.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Noam ► 03 - The Lion Turtle ► 05 - Love Song For the Rainy Season

Jacob Garchik - Assembly

Label: Yestereve Records, 2022

Personnel - Jacob Garchik: trombone; Sam Newsome: soprano saxophone; Jacob Sacks: piano; Thomas Morgan: bass; Dan Weiss: drums.

Trombonist/composer Jacob Garchik is anything but a newcomer to the creative jazz world. He's actually one of the most adventurous and in-demand trombonists on the scene, having played with names such as Mary Halvorson, Henry Threadgill, Anna Webber, Ohad Talmor, and Steve Swallow. For his audacious new album, Assembly, he put together a powerful combo whose frontline consists of himself and sopranist Sam Newsome. The triangular association of pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Thomas Morgan, and drummer Dan Weiss completes the quintet, providing solid rhythmic anchor. Known for his conceptual sonic schemas, Garchik delivers a studio work of collages and musical juxtapositions that blends the experimental and the traditional sides of jazz. With the sonic uncertainty amidst the executional certitude, the way melody and rhythm collide and merge upends expectation.

Kicking off with the quizzical “Collage”, the album immediately baffles as fricative forces emerge from the encounter of an effusive rhythm-changes-based dialogue and a slow, heavy harmonic development demarcated by a swinging hi-hat pulsation. The swing is literally incorporated into “Pastiche” with insightful resolve. The horn players keep blowing bopishly, and Garchik takes off for a solo over bass and drums before the time is doubled for a lightning-fast finale.

“Bricolage” is a showcase for Newsome, who extracts interesting sounds of the soprano over a simple two-note bass figure. Morgan increases the number of notes as Garchik begins punctual counterpoint. It’s all very curious until here, but not as beautiful as when we hear “Homage”, the album’s most meditative piece. It’s a modal experiment based on McCoy Tyner’s “Contemplation”, which overdubs three drum sets, four basses, four pianos, two soprano saxes, and three trombones.

Whereas “Idée Fixe” simulates a ‘broken record’ with loopy ostinatos and occasional swinging motion interference, “Fanfare” employs cascading sequences, counterpoint, and unisons in a masterful setting, going from rambunctious to balladic whenever the group falls into Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood”. In opposition, “Fantasia” builds tension from the very beginning, combining the droning, didgeridoo-like sounds of the altered soprano sax with a driving collective post-bop.

Both writing and playing are first class, and the group creates an integration of languages that draw from different domains. We never know what to expect from each track, and that’s the thrill of it.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Homage ► 05 - Fanfare ► 06 - Idée Fixe 

Mary Halvorson - Amaryllis

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2022

Personnel - Mary Halvorson: guitar; Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Jacob Garchik: trombone; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Nick Dunston: bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums + The Mivos Quartet (#4-11).

Brooklyn-based Mary Halvorson is a premier guitarist and composer whose innovative and creative work has been lauded by the public and critics alike. She makes her Nonesuch debut, not with one, but with two interrelated albums: Amaryllis, a six-song suite featuring a newly established sextet of old cohorts plus the Mivos Quartet on half of the tracks; and Belladonna, a set of modern chamber compositions written for guitar and the above mentioned string quartet. All compositions were written in 2020, when the world entered lockdown.

The object of this review is Amaryllis, whose kinetic opening track, “Night Shift”, channels effortless swagger, mastering a rhythmic development in 10/8 that combines indie rock, new music and modern jazz concepts with tasteful effects and triumphant solos from Adam O’Farrill on trumpet and Patricia Brennan on vibraphone. “Anesthesia” arrives next to explore with a calmer temperament; it’s deliberately cerebral and intriguingly percussive at times. On the contrary, the tricky-metered “Amaryllis” starts off with an expeditious bass figure laid down by Nick Dunston, but the relaxed way O’Farrill and trombonist Jacob Garchik blow their horns creates a polyrhythmic feel that is extremely gratifying. After a stunning trumpet solo, drummer Tomas Fujiwara also finds the space to deepen his rhythmic chops.

The three last selections feature the allurement of strings, with the Mivos quartet enlarging the group to a tentet. They forge a nice chamber setting where modern classical and avant-garde elements merge seamlessly. That’s what happens on “Side Effect”, which keeps an exuberant sense of wonder while skillfully warping our rhythmic perception of things. The last couple of tracks, “Hoodwink” and “892 Teeth”, are more immediate, seeking out a more symmetric geometry while putting on view Halvorson’s visionary methods and openness to other genres. The former tune, carrying a march-like propulsion that recalls Bill Frisell’s ECM album Rambler, features the bandleader’s beautiful fingerpicking and warped improvised verses. On the other hand, the latter piece feels intimate and emotional, oozing a somber tone that never reaches a deep level of despair.

Nothing here feels like a stretch. That’s what you get when you have the gift for structured composition and the back of a stupendous cast of players who trust one another implicitly. 

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Night Shift ► 03 - Amaryllis ► 05 - Hoodwinck

Gilad Hekselman - Far Star

Label: Edition Records, 2022

Personnel - Gilad Hekselman: guitar, bass, keys; Eric Harland: drums; Shai Maestro: keys; Nomok: synth; Amir Bresceron: drums, percussion; Nathan Schram: viola, violin; Oren Hardy: bass; Alon Benjamini: percussion.

Gilad Hekselman, an outstanding guitarist born in Israel and based in New York, makes his debut on the British label Edition Records with Far Star, an album that shifts into new musical directions. The tracks comprising this work developed from ‘song demos’ accumulated in his computer due to the pandemic, and according to his own words, are about his ability to travel with his imagination. 

A small number of guests are featured, one of them being the drummer Eric Harland (Charles Lloyd, Chris Potter, Dave Holland), who lays down a sort of Afrobeat vibe on the opening track, “Long Way From Home”. Employing a whistled simple melody as a starting point, this piece is impeccably layered with a frisky bass pulse and a particular guitar sound that seems to draw from country jazz. Hekselman’s improvisation is modern and catchy, and the atmosphere reaches an epic, cinematic climax before resting on the triple time drumming of Harland. The latter is equally outstanding in the following “Fast Moving Century”, a sequence of collages where electronica and underground hip-hop influences are burned through until the more rock-inclined denouement. Besides the drum swells amplifying the picture, there’s also the mutable keyboard work of Shai Maestro.

“I Didn’t Know” is an acoustic dreamscape that unfolds with a nice melody over a smooth underpinning, whereas the title track chooses melancholic notes to build a poignant narrative. The strings of Nathan Schram gives it a touch, together with the Brazilian rhythm that appears halfway, fruit of the bass and percussion of Oren Hardy and Elon Benjamin, respectively.

The second half of the record is very strong, and the variety of sounds is not by chance, emerging organically and stirring emotional hues that make us want to discover more. This is the case with “Magic Chord”, a riff-centered piece delivered with a polyrhythmic feel and a propensity for fusion; and “Rebirth”, a beautifully cooked recipe that mystifies with sonic details and the cutting-edge rhythm engendered by Israeli drummer Ziv Ravitz in his single appearance on the album. Also, “The Headrocker”, a soulful blues-rock-meets-jazz number, thrives with the participation of keyboardist Nomok and drummer Amir Bresceron.

The music on Far Star is more than soloing or showing off technical skills. It’s a kaleidoscopic journey into the creative mind of Hekselman, whose highly contemporary vision is executed with expertise and the valuable support from his peers.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Long Way From Home ► 07 - The Headrocker ► 08 - Rebirth

John Scofield - John Scofield

Label: ECM Records, 2022

Personnel - John Scofield: electric guitar, looper.

John Scofield, a glorious guitarist with a slightly twisty guitar sound and a language that often comes adorned with elements of funk, country and rock, has all the reasons to feel jubilant about his new recording. That's because this self-titled album is his first solo effort in a career spanning over half a century.

The chosen repertoire - five originals and eight covers - heralds new sonic directions (including traditional and rock n’roll songs), and the guitarist works his grooves and ambiences to great effect while adding some understated electronic manipulation. The recording initiates with Keith Jarrett’s “Coral”, whose relaxed 4/4 step includes an early overdubbed solo. The following step is a reworking of “Honest I Do”, an original collected out of his Grace Under Pressure album (Blue Note, 1992). Other standout tunes from Scofield’s pen are the cool “Elder Dance”, where he swings unabashedly with jazz n’ bluesy solos and opportune octave inflections; “Mrs. Scofield’s Waltz”, a lovable, gentle piece which first appeared on the superlative album Works For Me (Verve, 2000) with Brad Mehldau; and the fusion-laced “Trance De Jour”.

Both “Danny Boy”, a country/Americana folding whose soloing section is backed by loop waves, and “Junco Partner”, a 16-bar blues from Louisiana, are traditional numbers that show his love for American roots music. However, two of the most stirring cuts are interpretations of standards: “It Could Happen to You” and “There Will Never Be Another You” demonstrate Scofields’s unerring instinct to put his own soulful stamp in the traditional jazz language. Besides the marvelous improvisation, he spices up the former piece’s theme with nice glissandi, and finishes the latter with an awesome quirky chord. Conversely, “My Old Flame” doesn’t have the same impact as the other two.

The reading of Buddy Holly’s rockabilly number “Not Fade Away” comes etched with Americana inscriptions and round bending notes. Here, Scofield experiments a bit more with the sound, infusing muffled bass notes and cyclic funkified electronics. The record closes out with Hank Williams’ “You Win Again”, a leisure walk through the serene prairies of country music. With all these songs serving as a catalyst for the electric hooks and phraseology of the guitarist, this is a sweeping album with a wide range of flavors.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - It Could Happen to You ► 06 - Mrs. Scofield’s Waltz ► 08 - There Will Never Be Another You

Kevin Eubanks / Orrin Evans - EEE: Eubanks Evans Experience

Label: Imani Records, 2022

Personnel - Kevin Eubanks: guitar; Orrin Evans: piano.

Guitarist Kevin Eubanks and pianist Orrin Evans joined forces for a sympathetic duo offer designated as EEE - Eubanks-Evans Experience. These two musicians with strong ties to Philadelphia spent years honing their crafts, revealing a proclivity to expand horizons beyond pure jazz. Besides leaders in their own right, the twosome contributed as sidemen on albums of each other (Evans’ #knowingishalfthebattle; Eubanks’ East West Time Line). The guitarist is commonly associated with the bassist Dave Holland and the singer Diane Reeves, while the pianist was a member of the Ralph Peterson Quintet and groups led by trumpeter Sean Jones. He also replaced Ethan Iverson in the newfangled trio The Bad Plus.

Flowing with a relaxed vibe, “Novice Bounce” opens the record with smooth touches on jazz-funk and bossa. Written by Eubanks, this opening number collected from his first record, Guitarist (Discovery, 1982), finds him tackling it with half the tempo and electric guitar instead of the acoustic. If the ballads -  “Dreams of Lovin’ You” (composed by Tom Browne) and “Dawn Marie” (a tribute from Evans to his wife) - breathe and never rush, then other pieces make our heartbeat increase during their musical route by going in different directions. 

The improvised “I Don’t Know” seems to squeeze two different worlds into the same sonic bubble. The artists treat their instruments with a newly discovered freedom, and the initial sense of bluesy dispersion is eased when Eubanks starts to work on the lower register, fulfilling bass duties. There are a couple more spontaneous numbers, but those don’t reach the heights of the two last tracks, both recorded live at Chris’ Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia. They are variations of Evans’ “Half the Battle” and Eubanks’ “Adoration”. The former is transformed into a mercurial fusion work by the addition of often-bluesy rock licks, a spiritual harmonic progression evocative of Pharaoh Sanders, and a groovy funk-rock strut that contracts and expands with multiple levels of intensity. The latter piece, instead, arrives in triple time, spreading out a beautiful energy.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Novice Bounce ► 06 - Variations on Half the Battle ► 07 - Variations on Adoration

Ches Smith - Interpret it Well

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2022

Personnel - Ches Smith: drums, vibraphone; Mat Maneri: viola; Craig Taborn: piano; Bill Frisell: guitar.

Drummer, vibraphonist and composer Ches Smith is a necessary voice in today’s creative music scene, regardless of the context he operates. After collecting critical acclaim last year with his Vodou-inspired project We All Break, he returns to the minimally written, impeccably structured pieces that marked his ECM debut album The Bell, which featured violist Mat Maneri and pianist Craig Taborn. For Interpret it Well, his sophomore release on Pyroclastic Records, this trio is augmented with the natural talents and textural vastness of the great guitarist Bill Frisell.

Patiently built, the title cut is patterned with relaxed ostinatos at the outset, evolving to a passage that echoes playful guitar, tearful viola and cymbal washes. This happens before an elaborate solo piano mosaic deftly adorned with electronics. Deliciously warped sequences of electrified guitar and viola navigate a stratum of cyclic harmonies and dynamically sculpted drum sounds. It grows steadily until the climax is reached right before the end. 

Equally amazing is “Mixed Metaphor”, which, at 16:26 minutes, is the longest piece on the album. The self-possessed Frisell enters solo, describing idyllic landscapes with beauty. All the same, and almost furtively, an odd-metered groove forms in the background, supporting Maneri and Taborn's statements. There’s a change of groove in the final section that is well capable of surprising you with balanced flavors of avant-jazz, rock, and electronica. 

The resultant combination of sounds is awesome to behold, and comes to the fore during the colorful three-part suite “Clear Major”. Smith’s love for exquisite rhythm is mirrored here as the quartet explores thoughtful movements that fluctuate in tempo, texture and intensity. Taborn’s kinetic mesh plums and propels; Frisell’s harmonics have a huge dramatic impact; Maneri brings a lot of sentiment to the music; and Smith’s restless drum work is packed with energy. The narrative thrust of each player is simply remarkable.

“Morbid”, a gesture-driven piece, carries a doleful monochromatism at its core, whereas “I Need More” - playing with tempos that slide under our feet - denotes a credible affinity with the avant-garde while its theme slips over a defiant prog-rock-like tapestry. Subsequently, it dives into fluffy contemporary classical clouds. Labeling this music can be somewhat reductive of the wide open span of originality and stimulus proffered, but what’s important here is that Smith continues to expose his musical excellence with another exceptional and fully realized recording. And what a skilled instrumentalist and imaginative composer he is!

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Interpret it Well ► 03 - Mixed Metaphor ► 05 - Clear Major

Erik Friedlander - A Queens' Firefly

Label: Skipstone Records, 2022

Personnel - Erik Friedlander: cello; Uri Caine: piano; Mark Helias: bass; Ches Smith: drums.

Erik Friedlander is a resourceful New York-based cellist and composer with a one-of-a-kind style. His tremendous versatility makes him play avant-garde jazz, post-bop as well as chamber and world-influenced music with the same brilliancy and passion. Hence, collaborations in many different contexts with such greats as John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Marty Ehrlich, Wadada Leo Smith, and Fred Hersch, are not a surprise. 

If his previous outing, Sentinel (a trio effort with guitarist Ava Mendoza and drummer Diego Espinosa), was an agreeable breathe of fresh air, then this new recording, A Queens’ Firefly, pushes the envelope, working as an expansion of his 2018 album Artemisia. The cellist spearheads a fabulous quartet, The Throw, featuring pianist Uri Caine, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Ches Smith.

The title cut floats like a cloud, beginning a musical journey that unfolds with fascination. There’s a jazz and pop music lightness to it, with Helias, Caine and Friedlander proffering lovely solos. The following number, “Match Strikes”, defies that tranquility as the group charges with rhythmic boldness and intelligent counterpoint. The catchy propulsion here conveys both depth and urgency.

The groovy “Chandelier” adopts a crisp seven-note bass figure as its glowing carpet, whereas the gracefully orchestrated “Glimmer” goes from a well-intoned cello introduction (suggesting contemporary classical musing) to a 3/4 pop-rock drum flow, and then to tranquilizing balladic expressions. Groove and modulation are detectable, and the piece acquires a fusion adventurism. A similar impression appears on the rocking “The Fire In You”, which serves as the album’s closing track.

Friedlander keeps the pocket wide on “Aurora”, a transfixing cut where the group indulge in avant-garde freedoms. With its excellent theme and odd meter, the piece plays like a folk-rock dance from a distant world. A Queens’ Firefly is an exciting album in many ways, and Friedlander’s fantastic compositions seemed to have encouraged his cohorts to play them with gusto.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Match Strikes ► 04 - Glimmer ► 06 - Aurora